Brown accuses Parker of sabotaging Asian trip

Updated 7:31 am, Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Helena Brown said Mayor Annise Parker "did everything possible" to undermine Brown's trip aimed at promoting direct air service between Seoul and Houston.

Helena Brown said Mayor Annise Parker "did everything possible" to undermine Brown's trip aimed at promoting direct air service between Seoul and Houston.

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Brown accuses Parker of sabotaging Asian trip

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City Councilwoman Helena Brown on Tuesday accused Mayor Annise Parker of sabotaging her recent taxpayer-funded trip to Asia to promote direct air service between Seoul and Houston.

Brown joined Houston Airport Director Mario Diaz in visits to Beijing and Taipei early this month but did not meet with Korean airline officials. The itinerary originally included meetings in Seoul, but those were canceled shortly before the trip because Korean airline executives would not be available, according to a spokeswoman for the mayor.

According to a statement issued by Brown's office on Tuesday, "the mayor did everything possible to undermine and sabotage the planned trip. Mayor Parker had no intention to cooperate in any capacity with CM Brown's efforts to serve the constituents, as Mayor Parker continues to place political expediency above the responsibilities of public office to the great disservice of the Asian community and the Houston community as a whole."

Parker spokeswoman Janice Evans responded, "Council Member Brown's trip to Asia was handled the same as any other trip. The mayor's assistant for international trade and development was assigned to help and provide support. The mayor even offered to help the council member in rescheduling the trip once Asiana Airlines sent notice it would be unable to accommodate a meeting."

Emails obtained by the Chronicle indicate that members of the mayor's administration provided Brown with an itinerary, assisted her with a visa application, selected and wrapped gifts to present to Asian dignitaries, made travel arrangements and prepared a briefing binder. The mayor also personally approved Brown's travel authorization that estimated more than $16,000 for expenses.

A member of Brown's staff also asked an assistant to the mayor if taxpayer dollars could be used to cover the expenses of Brown's volunteer senior adviser, William Park, according to the emails. The response from the assistant was that "city resources cannot be expended on private individuals." Park joined Brown on the trip, for which Brown has requested reimbursement or to be charged to her council office budget more than $13,500. There is no evidence in Brown's expense reports that public money covered Park's expenses.

Brown contends in the five-page account of her trip she released Tuesday that city officials never called Asiana Airlines officials in Korea to confirm a meeting and did not inform her there would be no meeting until three days before her departure. The mayor said at a news conference after the trip that the meeting with Korean airline officials "fell through" and that Diaz canceled his plans to travel to Seoul as a result.

Brown's account states that she proceeded with the trip because she already had made a commitment to the District A Korean community, already had spent council office money on the trip and knew two local businessmen had left with plans to join her in Korea.

"Brown made the decision to travel as planned and personally deliver to the Asiana headquarters the over 5,000 signatures and numerous letters of support. Cancellation was not an option," Brown's account states.

Brown quotes from an email from Parker sent the day before Brown's scheduled departure that because Asiana could not meet with a city delegation, Parker wrote, "I will not support any contacts where our aviation experts are unavailable," and, "We will not facilitate any meetings with Asiana on this trip."